Filling machine



Oct. 17, 1944. c. E. KERR FILLING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet l CHA/M55 f. ffm@ Oct. 17, 1944. c. E. KERR FILLING MACHINEFiled July 22, 1940 4 sheets-Sheet 2 me/whom C/f/mfs E. Kfm

Oct.V 1,7, 1944. CQE. KERR FILLING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet 3 5 H, fo

l-llllll wlw Oct. 17, 1944. c. E. KERR FILLING MACHINE Y Filed July 22,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y CHA/n.55 Effi/w? I *Y Patented Oct. 17, 1944FILLING MACHINE Charles E. Kerr, Hoopeston, Ill., assigner to FoodMachinery Corporation, San J ose, Calif., a corporation of DelawareApplication July 22, 1940, Serial No. 346,692

13 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for lling containers with liquid orsubstances which can be temporarily reduced to a liquid or free flowingstate during the filling operation.

While the invention is of such character that it is applicable to a widevariety of machines of this general type, for purposes of thisdisclosure it will be shown herein as embodied in a machine especiallydesigned for filling small glass jars with such normally viscidsubstances as petrolatum ointments, salves, creams, etc. It will beunderstood, however, that even this particular embodiment is itselfcapable of'a great many different uses. For example, the containers maybe of any suitable kind such as glass jars or metal cans, and thesubstance handled may be any liquid or substance which can beconveniently reduced to a liquid or freely fluent condition.

Heretofore in the industry for which this machine was designed, acontinuous series of jars was fed into a machine which injected a meas-Iured iixed quantity of substance into each jar. This method was foundto be quite unsatisfactory, because there is a considerable variation inthe capacity of glass jars. The manufacturers of the jars have so farbeen unable to overcome this difliculty, because there is no knownmethod of uniformly controlling the amount of shrinkage in the glassjars when they are cooled after being molded. The result was thatoversized jars were underfilled by the machine and under` sized jarswere overlled.

This necessitated the employment of extra 1abor to hand-lill the unlledjars and to clean up the over-tilled jars. The latter caused the mosttrouble, because the overiiowed jars contacted adjacent jars andcontaminated them as well as the moving belts running from the fillersto the capping machine, and the overflow thus reached the cappingmachine where it was transferred from jar to jar during the cappingoperation, even in some cases reaching the labelling machine, causingbadly discolored labels.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine capable ofhigh-speed operation which will lill a continuous series of jars orother containers to a predetermined level regardless of variations intheir size. By lilling to a predetermined level the machine eliminatesthe high labor costs previously resulting from the messy conditionscaused by overflow filling and it also eliminates undcrlilling so thatthe customer will always receive a full jar. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a llng machine in whichafter-drip from the filling nozzles is eliminated, or practically so,thus avoiding contamination of the machine as well as variation in thelevel of material supplied to the containers. This latter is ofconsiderable importance because it makes the machine practical foraccurately filling very small containers, such as are frequently usedfor certain cosmetics and the like, which may nun to as small asonefourth ounce capacity. l

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine adapted to lillcontainers with nori mally viscid materials, when reduced to iiuidity,so as to obtain an attractive rounded or crowned surface on the iilledmaterial no matter Awhat the height or capacity of the container.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section through the machine, taken as indicated bythe arrows I-l in Fig. 2, except that, for purposes of clarity, only twoof the filling valves are illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the arrows 2-2 inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of the valve shown in section at the leftside of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated by the arrows 4-4 inFig. 3.

Fig. 51s a perspective View of the valve to illusl trate the arrangementof the passages therein.

Fig. 6 is a section taken as indicated by the arrows 6-6 in Fig. 3.-

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 with the valve shown in a differentposition.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the arrows 8-8 inFig. 9,

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the valve in closed position.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the valve in4 openY position.

The machine comprises a base 20 (Fig. l) in which a vertical shaft 2l issupported. A table 22 is mounted for rotation about the axis of shaft2l. The hub 23 of the table 22 bears against a thrust bearing 24 and hassecured thereto a gear 25 which is driven by a pinion 26 on a shaft 21suitably journalled in the base 20. The shaft 21 is driven from a shaft28 by bevel gears 29. The shaft 28 is driven from a source of power notshown.

A sleeve 30 encompassing the upper end of the shaft 2| has a flange 3|secured to the top of the table 22 by cap screws 32. The sleeve 30 isexternally threaded with a square thread 33 and is splined at 34. Asleeve 35 has a bore 36 therein which issubstantially the same diameteras the outside diameter of the threads 33, so that 2 accesos the sleeves30 and 36 have a telescopic iit. The sleevev 35 is splined at 31 and akey 38 engages in both the splines 34 and 31 to prevent relativerotation between the sleeves 30 and 35, to transmit rotation from theinternal sleeve 30 to the external sleeve 35 and to permit the sleeve 35to slide vertically with respect to the sleeve 30. This verticaladjustment of the sleeve 35 is effected by means of a nut 39 threaded onthe threads 33 of the sleeve 30. In order to lock the sleeve 35 in anyadjusted position on the sleeve 30 it is adapted to be clamped thereon.For this purpose a slot 40 is formed in the sleeve 35 and a bolt 4|passes through a pair of ears 42. This construction can be seen in Fig.2.

The upper end of the external sleeve 35 (Fig. 1) has a ange 43 to whicha tank indicated generally by the reference numeral 44 is secured by capscrews 45. A supply of the liquid or liqueed material to be filled inthe containers is maintained in the tank 44. A heating coil 46 issuspended within thetank 44 for reducing viscid materials to the liquidstate. The tank 44 may be raised and lowered with respect to the table22 by loosening the clamping bolt 4| and turning the nut 39. The tankcan then be maintained in its vertically adjusted position by againtightening the clamping bolt 4|.

A series of substantially identical lling valves 50 are mounted on thetank 44 and are adapted, as will be presently described, to control thedischarge of material from the tank into the jars. The jars indicated at5| are supported on lift plates 52 which are carried on plungers 53.Suitable bearings 54 are provided in the table 22 to permit verticalreciprocation of the plungers 53 therein. Each plunger 53 has a roller55 mounted in the lower end thereof. The rollers 55 follow a lift track56 on the base 20.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the track 56 begins atthe point 51 and is inclined upwardly to a point 58.` The intermediateportion of the track extending from 58 to 59 is level. From 59 to theend 60 the track is downwardly inclined. As the drive shaft 28 rotates,the table 22 and the tank 44 revolve in unison. When each of the rollers55 encounters the beginning 51 of the track 56, the associated plunger53 is raised as the roller traverses the upwardly inclined liftportieriV of the track, thus elevating the jar 5| into filling positionunder the valve 50. The jar is maintained in this filling position asthe roller 55 traverses the level vportion of the track 56 from 58 to59. `When the roller descends the downwardly-inclined portion f thetrack from 59 to 60 the jar is lowered away from the valve. During thetravel of the roller 55 through space from the end 60 of the track tothe beginning 51 thereof, the plunger and lift plate are supported intheir lowermost position by engagement of the face 6| (Fig. l) of a bossformed on the under side of the lift plate 52 with the upper end 62 ofthe bearing 54.

To prevent each plunger 53 from rotating in its bearing 54 each liftplate 52 is provided with a pair of lugs 63 (Fig. 2) which embrace aguide bar 64 which is secured in the table 22 at 65 (Fig. l). To centerthe jar on the lift plate 52 the centering plate 66 (Figs. l and 2) isattached to the lift plate by a cap screw 61 and positioned thereon bydowel pins 68 and 69. The centering plate 66 has an arcuate opening 'I0into which the jar 5| fits.

The particular embodiment illustrated is designed to employ twelve ofthe filling valves 50 (Fig. 1), one of which is located above each ofthe lift plates 62. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, only two ofthese valves are shown in Fig. l. Since all of the filling valves are ofidentical construction, only one will be described.

Referring to Fig.' 3, an enclosed chamber 1| is mounted on the underside of the tank 44, but is not open to the tank. The material istransferred from the tank to the chamber by means presently to bedescribed. The upper end of the chamber 1| is closed by a screw plug 12having a vent pipe 13 mounted therein. The vent pipe extends down intothe chamber 1| to the level indicated by the line 14.

The vent pipe 13 extends above the fluid level in the tank 44 and theoutlet 15 in its upper end is adapted to be closed by a valve comprislnga rubber seal 16 carried in the end of an arm 11, the other end of whichis attached at 18 to a push rod 19. The push rod I9 is normally urgeddownwardly by a spring 80 interposed between a guide block 8| fitted inthe curled rim 82 of the tank and a collar 83 secured to the push rod 19by a set screw 84. The lower end of the push rod is guided in anaperture 85 formed in a lug 86 integral with the chamber 1|. A roller 81is mounted in the lower end of the push rod 19 and is adapted to beengaged by a cam 88 (Figs. 3 and 9) which intermittently pushes the rodupwardly to remove the seal 16 from the outlet 15 of the vent -pipe 13.

The cam 88 is mounted on the stem 89 of a tapered valve 90 which is heldin a complemental opening 9| by a'spring 92 interposed between a nut 93threaded on the valve stem 94 and a cover plate 95. The tapered opening9| is formed in a valve body 96 which is cast integrally with thechamber 1|.

Referring to Figs. 7 to l0 it will be noted that a. passage 91 is formedin the valve unit 50. The passage 91 has an opening 98 into the tank 44.The lower end of the passage 91 communicates with a transverse passage99, the outer end of which is closed by screw plug |00. The passage 99(Fig. '7) is a port which communicates in one position of the valve withthe passage |0| formed therein. The passage |0| communicates with thepassage |02 which can be brought into registry with a port |03 openingat |04 into the chamber 1|. The position of the valve shown in Fig. '1is the closed position.

The open position is shown in Fig. 6 where the valve 90 has been rotated90 counterclockwise. In this position the passage |0| has been movedfrom communication with the port 99 to communication with the port |03,and the passage |05 has been moved into communication with the port |06having a nozzle |01 connected thereto. An air vent pipe |08 (Fig. 3) ismounted in the valve body 96 with its mouth |09 in the same horizontalplane as the lower end of the nozzle |01. The upper end of the vent pipe|08 communicates with a port ||0 in the valve body 96. In the openposition of the valve shown in Fig. 3 the port ||0 communicates with thepassage in the valve 90 and the other end of the passage I||communicates with a port ||2 which communicates with a vent pipe ||3extending upwardly in the chamber 1| above the level 14.

The arrangement of the fluid and air vent passages in the valve 90 isshown in the perspective view in Fig. 5. The air vent passage (Figs. 4and 5) in the valve 90 has enlarged openings H4 and H5 at its ends toestablish communication between the ports I| and H2 as the valve 90 isbeing opened and before the passage is actually in alignment with theports for a purpose presently to be described.

In order to rotate the valve 90 (Figs. 3 and 9) a trip lever H6 issecured to the valve stem 89 and is provided with upper and loweractuating arms H1 and H8. As shown in Fig. 9 the valve 90 is in closedposition and is about to be opened by contact of the lower arm H8 of thetrip lever H6 with a roller H9. The roller H9 is mounted at the upperend of a vertical arm |20 formed integrally with a'horizontally-disposed lever |2| pivoted at |22 (Figs. 1 and 2) on afixed portion of the machine. A spring |23 is connected to the oppositeend |24 of the lever I2| to urge the lever clockwise.

The lever I2| is part of a no-can-no-ll mechanism which operates asfollows: When no can or jar is present on the lift plate 52 the arm |2|(Fig. 2) is swung clockwise by the spring |23 to remove the roller I 9from the path of the trip lever H6 to prevent opening of the valve. Whena jar is present on the lift plate 52 the outer wall of the jar engagesthe inner side |25 of the lever |2I, swinging the lever |2|counterclockwise to position the roller H9 in the path of the trip leverH6. The jar is enabled to exert this pressure on the lever |2| by reasonof the fact that it is seated in the arcuate opening 10 of the centeringplate 66.

As shown in Fig. 9, the valve is moving to the left so that the triplever is turned to the position shown in broken lines to open the valve.The valve remains open during 180 rotation of the table (Fig. 2). Whenthe jar arrives at the opposite side of the machine the trip lever H6engages a roller |26 mounted on a fixed arm |21 secured by a clampinghub |28 to an upright |29, which is part of the framework of themachine. In Fig. 10 the trip lever H6 is approaching the roller |20.When the upper arm H1 engages the roller the valve 90 will be rotated 90clockwise to return it to the closed position shown in Fir. 9.

The operation of thel machine will now be described. The tank 44(Fig. 1) is supplied with the material to be filled. If the material isviscid the heating coil 46 is employed, otherwise not. The jars areintroduced into the machine by a conventional feeding mechanism shown inFig. 2 which comprises in general a rotary disc |30 on which the jars 5|are deposited. The screw |3| picks up the jars one by one, spaces themapart the required distance, and feeds them into the machine in a line.It will be understood that the feed screw |3| is operated in timedrelationshipwith the table 22, so that the jars are introduced one byone onto the lift plates 52 yand centered in the centering plates 6B Asthe table rotates in a clockwise direction the rollers of the liftplungers encounter the beginning 51 of the track 56, and as the rollertravels from 51 to 58 the jar is lifted to its filling position wherethe end of the nozzle |01 (Fig. 3) and the mouth |09 of the vent |08 arepositioned at the desired level with respect to the top of the jar.

This level is predetermined by the adjustment of the sleeve 35 (Fig. l)which enables the tank 44 and its valves 50 to be raised or lowered withrespect to the table 22 and lift plates 52. The adjustment depends tosome extent on the material with which the jars are being lled and theheight to which the ll is desired. If the mate-l mouth |09 of the vent|08 is positioned determines the position `of the top of the crown ifthe material is viscid, or, if it is normally liquid, determines thelevel of fill in the jar, as will be more apparent later in thedescription.

The opening cf the valve is shown in Fig. 9,

` wherein passing the roller H9 the lever H6 is tripped to rotate thevalve through 90 so as to position the fluid and vent passages as shownin Fig. 3. When the valve 90 is opened the cam 88 is also rotated toremove it from engagement with the roller 81, as shown in Fig. 10,permitting the spring 80, which was under compression, to lower the pushrod 19, causing the seal 1.6 (Fig. 3) to close the outlet 15 of the vent13.

It will be understood that prior to this time the outlet 15 was open,providing an air .vent for the chamber 1| and permitting the chamber tobe filled with uid from the tank 44 through the passage 91 (Fig. 9),port 99 (Fig. 7), passage |0I, passage |02, and port |03. The chamber"II was thus filled with fluid to the level 14 (Fig. 3) because when thefluid level reaches the end of the vent pipe 13 the air entrapped in thespace |32 is placed under compression and the flow of fluid ceases.

By a comparison of Figs. 9 and 10 it will be noted that the contour ofthe cam 88 is such that the push rod 19 will be lowered at the beginningof the turningmovement of the valve 90, so that the outlet 15 (Fig. 3)of the vent pipe 13 is closed at the beginning of the movement of thevalve 90 and while the passage |0| (Fig. 6) is in an intermediateposition between the ports 99 and |03.

Near the end of the valve movement the enlarged opening H4 (Fig. 4) ofthe vent passage III comes into communication with the port H2 andsimilarly the enlarged opening H5 establishes communication with theport H0. In this manner the vent pipes |08 and I3 are intercom nectedbefore the valve is fully opened. The result is that the compressed airin the space |32 (Fig. 3) above the fluid level 14 in the chamber- 1|escapes down the vent H3 through the pas-y sage and down the pipe |08.This is an important feature of the invention, because it makes forpositive and ei'licient operation of the valve. The air release in thevent pipe |08 clears the pipe of any material that may be lodged in thelower end thereof in order to establish, in advance ofthe opening of thefluid passage |0|/, |05, a clear vent passage from the atmosphere upthrough the vent pipes to the top of the chamber 1|.

When the Valve 90 is finally opened, as shown in Fig. 6, fluid isreleased from the chamber 1| through the port |03, passages |0| and |05,port |08, and nozzle |01. The fluid is discharged from the chamber intothe jar 5I as long as air can rise through the vent pipe |08. When thefluid level in the jar closes the mouthv |09 of this vent the flow fromthe nozzle |01 ceases. In this manner the amount of material or fluidlled in the jar depends on the level at which the mouth |09 of the ventis located and the vent thus controls thefill to a predetermined levelin the jar.

During the filling operation the jar is travelf ling around on the tablein a clockwise direction (Fig. 2). When the trip lever I I6 encountersthe roller |26 the valve is closed by clockwise rotation of the leverIIB (Fig. At the same time the cam 88 is returned to the position shownin Fig. 9, lifting the push rod 19 to remove the Vseal 16 (Fig. 3) fromthe outlet 15 of the vent pipe 13. When the valve is closed, as shown inFig. '7, the chamber 1| is refilled by uid entering from the port 99.

After the valve is closed the jar is lowered away as the lift rollertraverses the downwardly inclined portion of the lift track (Fig. 2)from 59 to 60. The jar is then removed from the machine by a dischargemechanism of conventional construction, which comprises a rotary disc|33 having a star wheel |34 for engaging the jars and removing them fromthe lift plates 52. After the valve 90 (Fig. 3) is closed there is nodrip from the nozzle |01 because the supply of material is cut off byrotation of the valve and the short column of material is retained inthe nozzle, which is of relativelysmall bore, by vacuum. When handlingmaterial, such as Mentholatum, the nozzle |01 may have a bore offive-sixteenths inch diameter and the vent |08 a diameter of one-fourthinch.

The construction of the valve units 50 is particularly designed tohandle materials like petrolatum which in spite of preheating tend tobecome viscid and congeal in the valve passage. In order to obtainrapid, accurate, and dependable operation of the valve to ll each jar toa predetermined level it is essential that the control vent be keptabsolutely clear of the material. In this connection attention isparticularly directed to two important features embodied in the valve. Y

First, the material is never allowed to enter the upper end of thecontrol vent pipe ||3. This is accomplished by extending the vent 13(Fig. 3) down into the chamber 1| to limit the filling of the chamber tothe level 14, and to provide the air space |32 in the top of thechamber. As a result, the material never enters the top of the vent pipe||3.

Second, the material is blown out of the mouth |09 of the control ventat the beginning of every filling operation. This is accomplished byproviding the enlarged openings ||4 and ||5 (Figs. 4 and 5) at the endsof the vent passage in the valve 90 so that just before the fillingoperation begins the air compressed in the space |32 in the top of thechamber 1| is released through the control vent to clean out anymaterial which may have started to congeal and to clog the mouth |09.

This construction not only serves to maintain the Vent in a clean andefficient operating condition to exercise a sure and sensitive controlover the fill but it also serves to provide a maximum air vent at alltimes to insure rapid and positive discharge of the material into thejar.

While I have described a particular embodiment of the present invention,it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made inthe details thereof without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and in what manner the same may beused, what I claim as new and desire to protect by U. S. Letters Patentis:

1. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank, a valve ber, means to control the admission of fiuid tosaid chamber including a vent having an inlet disposed below the top ofthe chamber to stop the filling of said chamber at a predetermined leveland establish an air space at the top of said chamber, means including avalve normally tending to close said vent, and means including a camactuated by said fluid admission valve to open said vent valve.

2. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank, a valve unit comprising an enclosed chamber, meansincluding a valve to admit fluid from said tank to said chamber, a venthaving an inlet in said chamber disposed below the top thereof toprovide air under pressure at the top of said chamber when filled to thelevel of said inlet with fluid, means including a valve to release fluidfrom said chamber to a container positioned beneath the valve unit, acontrol vent having one end disposed in the top of said chamber abovethe fluid level therein and the other end disposed at the predeterminedlevel of fill in the container, and a valve in said vent operable toopen said Vent before said fluid release valve is opened to release thecompressed air in the top of said chamber through said control vent toclean out said other end of said control vent prior to the beginning othe filling operation.

3. In a machine for lling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank, a valve unit, comprising a chamber having a fillingcontrol vent to determine the level of lill in said chamber andestablish air under pressure in the top of said chamber, anormally-closed valve in said filling control vent, said unit having afluid supply passage to conduct fluid from said tank to said chamber anda fluid discharge passage to conduct fluid from said chamber to acontainer positioned beneath the valve unit, said unit having an alrvent control passage, one end of said air vent control passagebeingdisposed in the air space at the top of said chamber and the otherend being disposed at the predetermined level of fill in the container,a rotary valve operable in one position to open said fluid supplypassage and to close said discharge and air vent control passages, saidrotary valve being operable in a second position to close all saidpassages, and means responsive to actuation of said rotary valve to openthe valve in said filling control vent when the rotary valve is in itsrst mentioned position and to close the valve in said filling controlvent when the rotary Valve is in its second position, said rotary valvealso being operable in a third position to open only said air ventcontrol passage to release compressed air therethrough from the top ofsaid chamber. and in a fourth position to open said fiuid `dischargepassage through which fiuid is released from said chamber to thecontainer until the fiuid level in the container reaches the end of saidair vent disposed therein.

4. In a machine for filling containers with fiuid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing said fluid, a valve unit, comprising achamber, means to admit fluid from said tank to said chamber, an airvent extending upwardly from said chamber and projecting above the fluidlevel in said tank, said air vent having its lower end opening into saidchamber below the top thereof for enabling the fluid to trap a pocket ofair under pressure in the chamber above said opening and stop furtherfilling of the chamber when the latter fills with fluid to a level suchthat said fluid closes said vent opening, means for closing said ventafter said air pocket has been estaby lished, means including a valve torelease fluid from said chamber into a container positioned beneath thevalve unit, and a'second vent positioned with an opening at the desiredlevel of fill of said container and communicating with said chamberabove the maximum fluid level established therein whereby air may beadmitted to said chamber during the filling operation and said secondvent may be cleared by the air in said pocket.

5. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing said fluid, a valve unit comprising achamber,

means including a two-Way valve operable alternately to admit fluid tosaid chamber from said tank and to release fluid from said chamber to acontainer positioned beneath the valve unit, a vent extendingfupwardlyfrom said chamber and projecting above the fluid level in said tank,said air vent having its lower end opening into said chamber below thetop thereof to stop f'llling of said chamber and trap a pocket of airunder pressure in the chamber above said opening when fluid is admittedinto said chamber from said tank and fills to a level such that saidfluid closes said vent opening, means including a valve for said ventactuated in time with said two-way valve to close said vent when fluidis released from said chamber, and a second vent communicating betweensaid chamber air pocket and a predetermined level in the container andcontrolled by said two-Way valve for releasing the compressed air fromsaid chamber air pocket, for controlling the release of fluid to thecontainer from said chamber and for controlling fill of said containerto a predetermined level.

6. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing said fluid, a valve unit disposed belowsaid tank comprising a chamber, means including a twoway valve operablealternately to admit fluid by gravity to said chamber from said tank andto release fluid from said chamber to a container positioned beneath thevalve unit, an air vent extending upwardly from said chamber andprojecting above the fluid level in said tank, said air vent having itslower end opening into said chamber below the top thereof to enable theuid to trap a pocket of air under pressure in the chamber above thelower end of the vent and stop further filling of the chamber when thelatter lls with iluid to a level such that said fluid closes the end ofthe vent, means including a valve for said vent actuated in time withsaid two-way valve to close said vent when fluid is released from saidchamber, a second vent having an end communicating with the air pocketabove the fluid level in said chamber to control the release of fluid tothe container and for releasing the compressed air in said pocketthrough said second vent when said second vent is opened, the other endof said second vent being adapted to be positioned at the predeterminedlevel of lill of the container to control fill thereof to said level andlmeans for opening said second vent when fluid is to be released to thecontainer.

7. In a machine for filling Containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing Y said fluid, a valve unit comprising achamber, means including a two-Way valve operable alternately to admitfluid to said chamber from -said tanki and to release fluid from saidchamber to a container positioned in filling relation thereto, a ventextending upwardly from said chamber and projecting above the fluidlevel in said tank, said vent opening into said chamber below the topthereof to trap a pocket of air under pressure in said chamber abovesaid opening and stop further filling of said chamber when the latterfills with fluid to a level such that the fluid closes said ventopening, means including a valve for said vent actuated in time withsaid two-Way valve to close said vent when fluid is released from saidchamber, a second vent communicating with the compressed air pocketabove the fluid level in said chamber to control the release of fluid tothe container, the mouth of said second vent being positioned at thepredetermined level of -flll in the container to control fill of thecontainer to said level, and a valve for said second vent operable intime with said two-Way valve to close said second vent when fluid isadmitted to said chamber from said tank and to open said second vent torelease the compressed air in said chamber pocket through said secondvent to clear it and to admit air into said chamber to control fioW ofthe fluid to the container.

8. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing said uid, a valve unit comprising anenclosed chamber, means including a valve to admit fluid from said tankto-said chamber, a vent having an outlet above said chamber and an inletin said chamber below the top thereof to stop' further filling of thechamber and to trap a pocket of air under pressure at the top of saidchamber when filled with fluid to a level such that said fluid closessaid inlet of the vent, means to close said vent after said air pockethas been established, means including a valve to release fluid from saidchamber to a container positioned beneath the valve unit, a control venthaving one end disposed in the top of the chamber above the fluid leveltherein and another end positioned at the desired fill level ofthecontainer to control filling of the container to such level, and a valvein said conv trol vent operable to open said control vent before saidfluid release valve is opened to release the compressed air in the topof said chamber through said control vent.

9. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing said fluid, a valve unit comprising achamber, said unit having a fluid supply passage to conduct fluid fromsaid tank to said chamber, said unit having a fluid discharge passage toconduct fluid from said chamber to a container positioned beneath thevalve unit, said unit having an air vent extending above said chamberand having its lovver end opening into said chamber at a level below thetop of said chamber to stop further filling of tlre chamber and trap apocket of air under pressure in said chamber above the fluid thereinwhen the latter fills said chamber up to a level such that said fluidcloses the opening in the lower end of said air vent, and a second ventcommunicating with said air pocket of said chamber, a mouth of saidsecond vent being disposed at a predetermined level of fill in thecontainer to control filling of the container to such level, a rotaryvalve operable in one position to close said fluid discharge passage andsaid second air yvent and to open said fluid supply passage, said rotaryvalve being operable in a second position to close both said fluidpassages and open said second vent, and means operable to close firstmentioned air vent when the rotary valve is in said second position.

10. In a machine for lling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank, a valve unit comprising a chamber, said unit having afluid supply passage to conduct fluid from said tank to said chamber,said unit having a fluid discharge passage to conduct fluid from saidchamber to a container positioned beneath the `valve unit, said unithaving an air vent, the upper end of which is above said chamber and thelower end of which opens into said chamber at a level below the topthereof to stop further filling of said chamber and trap a pocket of airunder pressure in said chamber above the fluid therein when the latterfills said chamber up to a level such that said fluid closes the openingin the 10W- er end of said air vent, and a second air vent communicatingwith the said air pocket in said chamber above the fluid level therein,a mouth of said second vent being disposed at the predetermined level offill in the container to control filling of the container to such level,and control means including a rotary valve, means for actuating saidcontrol means and rotary valve to close said fluid discharge passage andsaid second air vent and to open said fluid supply passage and saidfirst mentioned vent, and actuating means for -subsequently actuatingsaid control means and rotary valve to close both said fluid passagesand said first mentioned vent and open said second air vent, said lastnamed actuating means thereafter actuating the rotary valve to closesaid fluid supply passage and open said fluid discharge passage whilesaid second air vent is I open.

11. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a supply tank for the fluid, a fluid receiving chamber, meansforming an inlet passage-way to feed fluid from said tank to saidchamber, a feed vent extending upwardly from said chamber and projectingabove the fluid level in said tank, said air vent having its lower endopening into said chamber at a distance below the top of said chamberfor enabling said fluid to trap a pocket of air under pressure in thechamber above said vent opening and stop further filling of the chamberwhen the latter fills with fluid to a level such that said fluid closesthe opening in the lower end of the feed vent, means forming a dischargepassageway for conducting fluid from said chamber into a containerpositioned in filling relation thereto, a discharge vent arranged tocommunicate between said chamber and the container, said discharge venthaving an opening disposed in the chamber air pocket and another openingdisposed at the desired level of ll of the container to stop admissionof fluid to the container when the container fills with fluid to suchlevel to close the latter opening, and Valve means for controlling saidinlet passage-way, feed vent, discharge passage-way, and discharge vent,said valve means being operable to close said feed vent and inletpassage-way when said compressed air pocket has been established andopen said discharge vent and discharge passage-way to exhaust saidcompressed air in said chamber, through said discharge vent to clear outthe latter, and to admit fluid to said container. f

12. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a supply tank for the fluid, a fluid receiving chamber, meansforming an inlet passage-way to feed fluid from said tank to saidchamber, a feed vent having its outlet above said chamber and its inletdisposed in said chamber at a distance below the top of said chamber forenabling said fluid to trap a pocket of air under pressure in thechamber above said inlet and stop further filling of the chamber whenthe chamber fills with fluid to a level such that l said fluid closesthe. inlet of the feed vent, means forming a discharge passage-way forconducting fluid from said chamber into a container positioned infilling relation thereto, a discharge vent arranged to communicatebetween said chamber and the container, said discharge vent having anopening disposed in the chamber above said feed vent inlet, and anotheropening disposed at the desired level of fill of the container to stopadmission of fluid to the container when the container fills with fluidto such level to close the latter opening, and valve means forcontrolling said inlet passage-way, feed Vent, discharge passage-way anddischarge vent, said valve means being operable to open said feed ventand maintain said discharge passage-way and discharge vent closed whenadmitting fluid into said chamber and to close said inlet passage-wayand feed Vent when said compressed air pocket in said chamber has beenestablished and before said discharge vent is opened, and to open saiddischarge vent in advance of said discharge passageway when fluid is tobe admitted to the container.

13. In a machine for filling containers with fluid to a predeterminedlevel, a tank for containing said fluid, a valve unit comprising achamber,

means including a valve to admit fluid from said l tank to said chamber,means to control the admission of fluid to said chamber including a ventextending upwardly from said chamber and projecting `above the fluidlevel in said tank, said vent having its lower end opening into saidchamber below the top thereof to stop the filling of the chamber at apredetermined level and establish an air space at the top of saidchamber when the latter fills with fluid to a level such that said fluidcloses the opening in said vent, a valve controlling said vent, andmeans responsive to actuation of the admission valve to open and closesaid vent valve.

CHARLES E. KERR.

